Teachers could use Wild Kratts Creature Math as a supplemental math activity for extra practice. Since playing the full game is meant to take some time, set clear guidelines with students for how long they may play at one time. Up to four in-progress games can be saved, so it's possible to use on shared devices.

Wild Kratts Creature Math puts kids' math skills to the test while teaching them about ecosystems as they care for animals and their habitat. Kids build habitats for animals in and around a lake while keeping the ecosystem balanced. But, before they can build a new habitat, they have to correctly answer an addition or subtraction problem. The Kratt brothers help kids through the environment and the math problems, using manipulatives to demonstrate the math. As kids add other animals and their habitats, they have to watch the smiley-face indicators over each animal to keep each well-fed and the ecosystem balanced. Kids earn creature power disks and banners throughout the game.

Math practice in addition and subtraction is the main academic focus, and the manipulatives used align with the science of the game (adding and subtracting seeds or acorns for the animals, for example). When kids miss the answer the first time, a number line appears on the bottom of the screen to give another way to figure out the problem. The math difficulty adjusts based on performance, so kids stay appropriately challenged. Math problems range from addition and subtraction with sums up to 20. Kids can try as many times as necessary to get the correct answer, but no hints are offered beyond the manipulative pile and number line.

Kids also learn about ecosystems. Through narration by the Kratt brothers throughout the game play, kids will learn facts about each animal. Chris and Martin also pop in as needed to offer hints or suggestions for what to do next. It's tricky to get everything aligned just right to complete the game, so some kids may lose interest and give up before earning all of their creature power disks. Still, they will have had math practice and learned about animals and the ecosystem.

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.2

1.OA.2

Solve word problems that call for addition of three whole numbers whose sum is less than or equal to 20, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

1.OA.3

Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract.3 Examples: If 8 + 3 = 11 is known, then 3 + 8 = 11 is also known. (Commutative property of addition.) To add 2 + 6 + 4, the second two numbers can be added to make a ten, so 2 + 6 + 4 = 2 + 10 = 12. (Associative property of addition.)

1.OA.4

Understand subtraction as an unknown-addend problem. For example, subtract 10 – 8 by finding the number that makes 10 when added to 8.

1.OA.7

Understand the meaning of the equal sign, and determine if equations involving addition and subtraction are true or false. For example, which of the following equations are true and which are false? 6 = 6, 7 = 8 – 1, 5 + 2 = 2 + 5, 4 + 1 = 5 + 2.

1.OA.8

Determine the unknown whole number in an addition or subtraction equation relating three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true in each of the equations 8 + ? = 11, 5 = _ – 3, 6 + 6 = _.

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